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Could The 2016 Fiat Fullback Work As A Midsize Ram Pickup?

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The Fiat Fullback, based on the Mitsubishi L200, is a mid-size pickup on sale in Europe and the Middle East and built in Thailand. Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne recently said Ram “needs,” to occupy the mid-size segment in North America, so rebadging the Fullback as a Ram seems like an easy way to do so, but would this be a good idea?

This idea was thrown out by TFLTruck, who notes the Fullback’s dimensions mean it could theoretically hold up to 2,245 lbs, making it competitive enough in that regard for North American consumers’ tastes. However the Fullback wasn’t developed for North America, so it likely doesn’t meet the required regulations to be sold here and would be expensive to reengineer.

It would seem that FCA is better off developing a new mid-size Ram from scratch, or sharing a platform with the upcoming Jeep pickup, rather than trying to push the Fullback on North Americans. With competitive new rivals like the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, it would be a mistake for FCA to try and compete in the midsize pickup arena with a global product like the Fullback/L200. The chicken tax also throw any hope of the Fullback one day becoming a Ram out the window.

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2 Comments

I think they should sell the Fullback in the U.S. as a Dakota. It is just the right size; the half-tons and even the Tacoma and the Colorado are too big for me.

Whatever it would cost to modify the Fullback to meet U.S. regulations would be a fraction of the cost of developing a new truck from scratch. Plus, modifying the Fullback would give FCA a product to sell quickly at a time when they need cash flow.

I’m not sure why it would be a mistake to sell it against GM and Ford. There are buyers who buy on looks and the RAM and Ford is not my cup of tea. I like this better than GM and would prefer it as a Fiat. I know, here come the UAW crying about quality, but I own a 500 for 5 years and zero problems. No UAW product I have bought I my life of 63 has done that. Looks modern, sharp, tough and the front looks better than the fish RAM and Ford.